Gotham High
by DarkAngelSnapeLover
Summary: High School AU. Catwoman has entered Gotham High as a freshman, and things aren't as nice as she wants them to be. Can she and the other Gotham High students get through this new adventure together?
1. Chapter 1

Gotham High

_Chapter One_

Catwoman looked up to Gotham High with a slight frown on her face. It was the first day back to school for the area kids, and for the first time, she would be going here. She already knew some of the kids, of course. She'd been going to school with Joker for ages, and Batman was always in the papers for his athletic work at his middle school. She felt like she already knew everyone, but at the same time, she was completely alone as she stepped through the doors and into a wall of sound.

Gotham High was a typical high school of sorts. Everyone here fit into two groups: superheroes and non-superheroes. Of course, they tried not to see each other any differently, but Catwoman sometimes wondered if that was why she didn't have many friends, her cat-like abilities setting her apart from the others in school. She knew her shyness didn't help anything, but at the same time, her classmates had never helped either.

Suddenly, as she walked up the main hallway, a wad of paper and gum flew in Catwoman's direction. Joker squealed with laughter as she jumped on top of the lockers in one swift move, the wad falling to the floor. Catwoman looked up to him with a scowl before jumping back to the hallway below.

"You know, that sort of thing never gets old around here," Joker smirked, brushing some dust from Catwoman's shoulder. "I just like watching you squirm, dear. It's rather…satisfying," he said, cackling as he joined Bane and some others down a short hallway.

"Keep it moving, ladies and gentleman," Principal Gordon called, walking past Catwoman with a breeze of authority. She gathered herself and eyed her schedule. Her classroom wasn't far, so she moved there slowly, narrowly missing another spit wad from a Joker-want-to-be. That was the problem with people like Joker, Catwoman thought: Everyone wanted to imitate him even though the teachers and staff wanted him gone.

Catwoman sighed as she took a seat in the back corner of the room. The draft from a broken vent gave her chills as she settled in and took a look at the room. Batman was in the corner with Robin and a few people Catwoman didn't recognize. She only went to sporting events for extra credit at her middle school, so she didn't know many people from Batman's school. She'd learn their names eventually, she thought, but at the same time, she felt there wasn't much of a rush. It's not like they would accept her anyway.

As the bell rang, a cackling Joker entered the room with his buddies. They waved at the scowling teacher, a devout Catholic wearing a nun's dress. She stared at them with the most judgmental stare Catwoman had ever seen, her eyes following them as they moved up the row and took the three remaining seats at the back of the room.

"After announcements, I'll call roll," she said softly, sitting down as the intercom beeped. Principal Gordon, a man they'd all met numerous times throughout their schooling because of his love for the area's children, began with a welcome back message. After a few housekeeping things (aka stop throwing gum wads at people), he ended announcements, and the teacher stood to begin calling roll…or at least she tried to.

"Hey, Teach, what's your super power?" Joker called amidst snickers from his friends. The teacher scowled, "I'm a teacher, young sir. My powers are God-given and stronger than anything you've ever seen," she said darkly.

"Ooh," the class whispered, and Joker was silenced as the task finally began. Catwoman listened closely, her ears not recognizing most of the names. She decided instantly that it didn't matter. She pulled out her new notebook and started to sketch as she waited for homeroom to end. Unfortunately, this left her oblivious to the world around her, and suddenly a wet wad of…something was lodged in the middle of the page. Catwoman looked up to hear Joker and his friends cackling, as well as a few rhythmic clacks from someone's shoes.

"Out!" the teacher hissed. Joker shrugged, gathering his things and gesturing for his friends to follow. Bane moved to stand, but the nun, seemingly ten times smaller than him, forced him back into his seat, "No, Joker, just you, and don't bother coming back!" she hissed, slapping a ruler on the desk of a laughing Bane.

"Hey, where'd you get that from?" Bane asked dumbly. The teacher smiled darkly, "Like I told your friend, I have God-given powers, things only us teachers will ever know about. Now wipe that pathetic grin off your face and sit right in your desk," she demanded, slapping the desk with her ruler. "I know this class is called 'homeroom' on your schedule, but they're trying something new this year. Welcome to freshman English, children," she grinned, walking to the front of the room. "When I call your name, approach my desk for you anthology collection. Then, start the assignment on the board," she explained, tapping the board twice with her ruler. The assignment revealed itself like magic, stunning the students. The teacher smiled; she had them just where she wanted them.

Down the hallway was a freshman math class filled with similar students to Catwoman's class. Students chattered as a tiny, rodent-like teacher adjusted his glasses on his face. Algebra books sat on every desk already, and the students had already written their name in the books to show who they belonged to. But now that it was time to begin his first class, the students remained unruly, ignoring his mouse-like cries of attention.

On the front row sat Gardenia, a blonde freshman with spider-like abilities. She could shoot web from her finger tips, climb walls, and, most importantly, she could see much better than the average student. She sat on the second row with some of her friends from middle school, girls she'd done numerous plays with. They laughed as they shared juicy summer gossip, but Gardenia felt her spider senses tingle. She looked up to see the frustrated teacher take a spot at his desk.

"Hey, guys, maybe we should give this guy a chance," Gardenia whispered. Her friend Angie scoffed, "I don't see why. The only teachers who do any good around here are the ones like you, with powers. This guy has nothing."

Gardenia smiled slightly, leaning forward, "Anyone could become something more with a little pressure from society. Unless you want another villain, help me get these people under control."

Angie felt her skin crawl when Gardenia said 'villain,' so after readjusting herself in her seat, she tapped her desk with her manicured nails. Gradually, the room began to grow quieter and quieter until it was silent.

"Mr. Bell, you can begin your lesson now," Gardenia said happily. "We apologize for our behavior. Won't happen again," she added, watching as he nervously stood at the board. He seemed happier now even if he wasn't any more at ease, and Gardenia felt pleased at what she'd done.

When the bell rang at the end of class, the students gathered their things to leave. Gardenia and Angie left together, their second row seats giving them a clear speed advantage as they darted from the room.

"I don't understand why you have to help everyone belong. Principal Gordon keeps a stern eye on his teachers so they don't turn evil or something, at least I think he does," Angie said, approaching her locker and eying her combination card to make sure she got it right.

"I know it seems like a pathetic choice or something, but I feel like there are people here who might do us harm one day. We're simply teenagers right now, but one day, we won't be. Gotham will be our city, and I think I'd rather it be a safe city than one filled with a bunch of evil masterminds. Most of these people are harmless, I know, but you never know when a bad apple will turn. Mr. Bell could be one of those bad apples just waiting for the right catalyst—"

"He-llo, Ladies!" Joker sneered, wrapping his arms around Angie's shoulders. She shuddered, ducking out of his grasp, "And who do you think you are?"

"He's Joker, Princess," the huge Bane said with his deep voice. Angie scoffed, giving them both the stink eye, "Well, I'm happily taken. Get away from me or he'll smash you to bits."

For some reason, Joker and Bane listened, disappearing into the crowd. Angie shuddered as she put her math book in her locker, but Gardenia smiled, "You see what I mean? Bad apples are everywhere in Gotham High. That guy's been nothing but trouble for years. That's pretty sad that I know that seeing he didn't go to school with us."

"Yeah, well, I lied for a reason. Did you see those cheeks? Ugh," she grimaced. Gardenia nodded, following her friend towards their next class, "Well, it's okay to protect yourself. Who are you supposedly taken by?" Gardenia asked with a playful grin. Angie shrugged, "But it felt good to say that. Maybe I can find a nice guy around here somewhere."

Gardenia nodded in agreement. Maybe they could find a nice boyfriend in Gotham High, or at least Angie might. Gardenia still hadn't decided what she wanted in her high school life. So far, she wanted what she gave Mr. Bell: A chance for everyone to be treated equally.

* * *

><p>AN: Just wanted to say what inspired me to write this, since yes, I'm aware these superheroes would have their actual names and wouldn't have their abilities, etc., etc. I just wanted to have fun with this. I woke up one day and thought, "Hmm, I wonder what Catwoman would be like as a high school student." I normally don't write this kind of high school AU where you age the characters down and put them in weird circumstances, but I'm trying to have fun here. So, if you want to flame me, go right ahead, but don't ruin a writer's fun. Never ruin a writer's fun.


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter Two_

A few days later, most of Gotham High's students had settled into their new routines. Tryouts for sports teams were beginning, and a handful of clubs were listed on the announcements every morning, their annual welcome meetings taking up classrooms every afternoon. While many people began trying to find their niche, Catwoman remained quiet, spending her study period in the back of the library. After school, she had nowhere to go, so she found a spot behind the school to sketch in her new, new notebook. She did this with a long face, her senses always telling her if someone else was near.

Today, this warning came too late, and Catwoman soon found herself surrounded by Joker, Bane, and an older student she didn't recognize. She slammed her notebook shut, hoping the coated cardboard cover would keep the inner pages safe from any wet wads. But they didn't seem to be there for another silly prank.

"So, this is the girl you've been trying to impress?" the older boy asked. Joker cackled, "No, no, this girl is fun to toy with. Interesting how the cat is the one getting played with," he laughed, Bane joining in with quick, deep bursts.

The older boy looked her over, "She's afraid of you, but not for the reasons you want her to be afraid of you. Tell me, Catwoman, what is your greatest fear?" the boy asked, sinking down to one knee.

"Oh, please, Scarecrow, give it a rest!" Joker hissed, pushing him back and causing him to fall on his rear end. He stood, brushing off dirt and bark while giving Joker a dirty look. "What, what? You weren't listening to me, Scarecrow!" Joker cried, pointing to Catwoman, "I want her to join us!"

"She wouldn't," Scarecrow noted with an even tone. "She's inherently good, afraid of the dark deeds you wish to place upon this school. She would never do anything for you but cause you problems, maybe ratting you out to Gordon and his goons. Sorry, but I don't see how I'm needed here," Scarecrow said, slowly walking away.

Joker sighed heavily, "Well, Catwoman, I want you to join me. I think your abilities would give my pranks a new edge, especially one of my latest ideas. Would you like to hear it?" he asked with a wide smile. Catwoman shook her head. "Well, no wonder they say cats are so snooty," Joker huffed, turning on his heel and sending dirt all over the notebook's cover. "By the way, that nun will have no choice but to let me back into her class. Will you be my reading buddy?"

Catwoman remained silent, but she wanted to tell Joker to be his own reading buddy. He walked off before she could answer him even if she wanted to, and Catwoman wondered where exactly this was going. Joker had never showed an interest in her before. She was the target of just as many pranks as everyone else. Why he was changing now made no sense to her.

After brushing the dirt off her notebook, Catwoman began a slow walk home, her eyes peeled for any good places she could hang out after school instead. She saw nothing, her mood falling further each step she took. She wanted to belong, but she didn't want to belong because she was bad. She wanted to belong because she had true friends, and the only true friend of Joker was Joker himself.

After school, Angie and Gardenia moved to a nearby park to discuss the upcoming drama club auditions for a short play that was supposed to be put on at the first open house. Unfortunately, neither girl could decide which piece to use for their audition.

"So, I thought I'd do a monologue from something current, something on Broadway right now, but I don't know which one to pick. Gardenia, what do you think?" Angie asked. Gardenia shrugged, looking over her own folder of monologues. "Well, the auditions are tomorrow, G. You need to make up your mind and fast, and then you need to help me."

"Give her time," a cool voice said. The young man was wearing a green suit and slick, black shoes, a top hat on his head. The girls had never seen him before, but they could tell he was an older teen, probably another Gotham High student.

"Who are you exactly?" Gardenia asked. The boy extended a gentleman's hand, "I am a young man, a junior at Gotham High, who appreciates the questions of life, mostly the unsolved questions."

"A name would be nice," Angie scoffed as she extended her hand to him. He shook it, a cool smile on his lips, "I'm known as The Riddler, but I've had other names as well. That just happens to be the only one I actually like."

"Do you have a suggestion for us?" Gardenia asked. The Riddler tucked his knees under the picnic table and looked over their pages, "Well, for one, you're taking this too seriously. High school plays are nothing more than children's affairs with important leaders. So what if Principal Gordon comes to every play? Who is he to you?"

"Well he's no movie director, I can tell you that!" Angie exclaimed, laughing loudly. Gardenia shook her head, "Even people like Principal Gordon are important. You never know who could give you your big break."

"Gotham High has no breaks for anyone. All of us will rot here, then, when the gates open after graduation day, you'll be surprised at how few actually leave this city's harsh streets. I'm just trying to give you girls a little dose of reality. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have important matters to tend to. But first, a tip to the damned: Sometimes rethinking your sides will give you different results."

The Riddler slinked off to another part of the park while the girls stared at his disappearing figure. Angie was the first to put away her things, but Gardenia wasn't much slower.

"I don't know why people like him exist. I mean, Gotham High's theatre department is ranked highest in the region. That means something. He must go somewhere else or something," Angie said quickly, following Gardenia to the park's nearest exit.

"He mentioned that sort of riddle at the end. I think he means that if we'd sided more with him, he wouldn't have acted like that. It's standard human behavior, you know. You have to treat people how they want to be treated to get the right results. We were both pretty skeptical of him, but it's not like you see someone like him very often," Gardenia said softly, looking around to see if he was still around. Even though the park's exit was on a hill, making it higher than a good portion of the park, they still couldn't see the mysterious figure. And thanks to his words, they were still very much unsure of what to do for their auditions.


	3. Chapter 3

_Chapter Three_

The next day, it was pouring down rain in Gotham, leaving Catwoman soaked as she entered the school. The grim weather made everyone quiet, and she immediately felt eyes on her as she entered the school. The stares were blank and cold, and she shivered as she moved to her locker, hoping to find a change of clothes. Instead, she found just books, even her jacket gone.

"Great," she muttered, switching out her books and beginning her journey to homeroom. She was early despite the bad weather, and only a few people were inside the room. Catwoman took her seat in the back corner, hoping Joker wouldn't make fun of her for her wet clothes. On the opposite side of the room, Batman noticed Catwoman's miserable look and approached.

"I noticed you had a little mishap this morning. I know it isn't much, but I washed my gym clothes last night. If they'll fit, you can have them for the day," Batman suggested, swinging his gym bag towards her. Catwoman's sense of smell was very strong, but the only scent she detected was a light spritz of body spray on the bag.

"Are you sure? Won't you get a zero for the day if you don't dress out?" she asked, knowing the strict rules of the coaches already.

Batman shrugged, "I think I'll take my chances. You need this more than I do," he smirked, returning to his seat. A moment later, Catwoman was in the bathroom changing clothes. She carefully placed her wet garments in her locker, hoping they would dry so she could give back Batman's clothes that afternoon. As she rushed back to class, the scent of the detergent hit her nose, making her blush slightly. It was the most wonderful smell ever, and the good deed associated with it made her even happier.

"Hope you don't mind us stealing your seat," Joker said, ruining her happy moment. Her seat was indeed taken…out of the room. The teacher cleared her throat, demanding the boys move it back for her. They did, refusing to move it from the very front of the room, Joker's contagious cackle making him shake.

"Well in that case, Joker, this is your new assigned seat, and anyone who finds this entertaining can join him, Bane," the short nun demanded. As Catwoman slowly tiptoed to the back of the room, she tensed as the teacher's ruler clacked loudly through the room. "You're fine, Miss Cat. Bane, up here, now," the teacher demanded. Bane protested loudly, sliding his desk into Catwoman's path, causing her to jump up and land on the desk's surface. "Fine, out! Out! Out! Out!" the teacher hissed, slamming her ruler onto her desk's surface.

Bane couldn't protest any further, at least not to her. He stormed out of the room as Catwoman gently sank into her seat. Class was able to start a moment later, but the entire room was in a stunned state of silence. As they filed out, Catwoman choked out a whisper of thanks to Batman. He gestured his good deed away; that was just something he did for his fellow classmates.

Catwoman smiled. She finally felt accepted, at least for a little while.

Gardenia and Angie were working through their chosen monologues at lunch, their plates nearly untouched as a green-clad figure worked his way towards them. He was munching a red apple loudly as he slinked into a chair, eying their hard work with a light smirk.

"I see you didn't take me seriously in the park the other day," he noted, taking a huge, thunderous bite out of his apple.

"We live and breathe theatre, fool," Angie scoffed, "and we're trying to work. Why don't you go bother someone who actually cares what I have to say?"

"Oh you do care, little miss, otherwise you wouldn't have answered me," Riddler smirked. "Riddle me this, girls: What makes a teenage girl so feisty, yet silences her when it matters most? Hmm, got any answers? Well, people like me certainly help. Let me make my game a little simpler for you: I have a stake in this whole thing, a stake in who gets roles and who doesn't."

"So you're a theatre geek? All the more reason for me to ignore you compl—"

"Oh, you could never do that," Riddler grinned, leaning forward, "You care what other people think too much. As for you, you're different. You have abilities, so you're used to be judged. In fact, compared to many of the people here, you have something even more special. I have abilities, yet mine are abilities of the mind. Batman is a man of gadgets, his butler Albert inventing everything he holds dear. But you? You're a mutant. That certainly brings judgment."

"No, just a strong mind like yours," Gardenia smirked, twirling her hair in her fingers. "You see, I don't listen to other people, because when I want something, who else is going to get it for me? You're only here to keep us from getting the roles so some ally of yours can get them instead. Or maybe you want the female roles. Some guys are pretty weird like that," Gardenia smirked, watching Riddler recoil in disgust. "I want you to leave us alone, otherwise I might have to use these special abilities of mine. I don't care when people call me a mutant. Sometimes that's the part of me that gets things done the easiest," she grinned.

"You should listen to me. I speak truth, but you? You're sounding a little clichéd, like some over-powerful teenager. You're nothing, little child, nothing at—"

Before he could say another word, Gardenia snapped a string of web over his mouth. Angie cackled as Riddler tried to pry the sticky goo from his lips, but it wouldn't budge. As he flailed, people around them began to notice, and soon everyone was laughing at the Riddler's expense.

"MMM!" he mumbled loudly.

"I'm sorry, but I can't understand you," Gardenia smiled deviously. "I think you should go to the nurse. I intentionally used my strongest web, but I'm sure that strong mind of yours can work out how to get it off."

"Hey, she got him good!" another table noted. Soon the whole room had erupted in a giddy reaction as the Riddler ran off towards the nurse's office. Gardenia judged the reaction and gathered this green-clad meddler wasn't liked by many people. She was being truthful when she said she didn't mind being a mutant, but it certainly helped when your powers were accepted, and everyone in the Gotham High cafeteria seemed to be very accepting.

"I wish we could use your monologue there in our auditions," Angie snorted, looking over their work. "We have a long way to go, but we'll get through it if you keep shutting up our haters like that."

Gardenia agreed, quietly getting back to her work as the cafeteria returned to its normal hum of activity. She wondered how this moment would resonate through the school, but at the same time, she simply wanted to do what she loved.


	4. Chapter 4

_Chapter Four_

Catwoman forgot the next day would be Saturday. She laundered the outfit that morning, eying the calendar with contempt. She would have Batman's clothes until Monday if she couldn't track him down somewhere in the city, but she had no idea where he spent his free time. She knew Alfred made him get out and do things from an interview the two had the previous year, but she felt the getting out and doing things part was probably the sports.

Catwoman put the items in her bag and grabbed her favorite notebook before heading out into Gotham. She went to the library first, turning in a book she'd checked out the week before. She hadn't touched it aside from its journey from and to the library, and she felt bad for that, but she just didn't have time to read right now. She wasn't in the mood anyway.

As she walked the streets, hoping to find somewhere she could curl up and doodle, she heard a familiar laughter. As she moved closer, she heard someone punching a metal trash can with the force of a semi-truck, the metal crunching after the thunderous BOOM! from the initial contact. Catwoman was nervous and decided to turn onto a different street. Unfortunately, she walked right up to the source: Joker and Bane.

"Nice of you to join us, goody-two-shoes," Joker laughed. Bane tossed the trashcan he was working on into an alleyway before grabbing another one. "We're just working out our frustrations. Doesn't Gotham High make you feel just…angry?" Joker growled as Bane began his routine, his punches seemingly harder this time.

"No, not really. I was on my way to…visit my grandmother. Do you mind?" Catwoman asked meekly. Joker scoffed, "Oh, we do mind. You turned my trick on me yesterday, Cat, and I didn't appreciate it. Bane here didn't either. He was given a week of in-school suspension, and Gotham High isn't like middle school. No, you're in a dungeon, doing real work! Bane can't handle conditions like that, not with that temper of his," Joker noted, watching as he tossed the can and grabbed another.

"I'm sorry," Catwoman offered, trying to slink past them. When Joker wouldn't let her past, she tried darting to the opposite side of the street. A passing car kept Joker on his side of the street, giving Catwoman a good start as she began to run. But Joker was faster, and he easily caught up with her. Catwoman jumped, landing on top of an apartment building's second floor fire escape.

"Oh, so now you want to hide from me? Look, Cat, I don't want to hurt you. I think we can work together! I know what Batman did for you, that fiend!" Joker hissed. "I hate jocks like him, I hate them! I want to go after him, not you, but I don't know what makes him tick. I just know he's good at sports and likes the arts too, an all-around bad guy, if you ask me."

"What do you want me to do? I don't know him either," Catwoman said, jumping down and landing with ease in front of Joker. Joker laughed, "You have his clothes, Cat, so you can get in close with him and get information on him. What does he hate? What does he fear?"

Catwoman shifted on her heels, "You've been talking to the older guy still, Scarecrow?" she asked. Joker shrugged before nodding gently, "I have spoken with him, but it wasn't about you. I want to know what he fears, yes, but Scarecrow, he's um…," Joker laughed nervously. The laughter continued so much that he couldn't speak, so Catwoman continued the conversation for him:

"I don't see what you feel so threatened about, Joker. I want you to leave me alone, but I don't want to help you go after people. So what if he's better at you in sports or the arts? You've never tried out for any teams."

"Yeah, well, Bane wants to do football this year, and what if I wanted to do theatre, huh? What if I want to but Batman gets in my way?" Joker asked darkly.

"Be better than him and you shouldn't have a problem. It takes practice, I guess. I don't do things like that. It's not my thing," Catwoman said, eying the end of the street. She was sick of Joker and ready to get out of there.

"Well, maybe it should be. In fact, they're looking for a male and female lead for their upcoming PTA open house thing. They need to have a good dynamic, and if we could pull that off—"

"I'm not going to be in some stupid play for you, Joker. I want to be left alone," Catwoman said firmly.

"Fine, fine," Joker said before snickering under his breath, "I guess I'll just have to keep playing tricks on you until you see things my way."

"I guess so," Catwoman hissed, dodging Joker and running back to the main road. She ran all the way back to her apartment, taking the fire escape up so she could flex her muscles. She was sick of Joker's antics from their years of middle school together, and now that they were older, she was even more sick of it.

Despite her desire to get Batman's clothes back to him, Catwoman decided this wasn't the weekend to leave home. She curled up with her notebook in front of a very worn television set. The picture flickered; it was barely visible at all. But Catwoman appeared slightly content as she doodled away.

Gardenia was at the local theatre checking out the night's play when she heard a familiar voice behind her. She turned to see Riddler dressed in a red uniform discussing the night's performance with a patron. When he was finished, he looked up to return to his post, but his eyes noticed Gardenia instead.

"The nurse wasn't pleased with your antics," Riddler said darkly, eying her carefully, "But here, you're not my problem. Are you here to see a show, perhaps…audition for one?" he asked darkly. Gardenia gestured to the poster on the wall. "Ah, you're here to watch the art of theatre. Well, you won't learn any new skills here. You either have it or you don't, child. Remember that."

"For one, I haven't been a child for years. Secondly, how do you know I won't learn anything here? What exactly do you know about theatre?" Gardenia asked coldly. Riddler grinned, "More than I care for you to know."

"Well, I want to see the show tonight whether you want me here or not. Is there someone I can get tickets from?" Gardenia asked. Riddler sighed heavily, gesturing her towards the window. Riddler stepped inside the booth and asked where she'd like to sit. "I love the balcony. How close can I get up there?"

"Front row. It's a slow night, so you get your pick," he smiled. "I'll let you pick your number if you'll riddle me this: Who do you know at Gotham High that can make or break your precious acting career?"

"No one in this room, Riddler," Gardenia said with a soft grin, "but that isn't for me to decide right now. I don't care where you put me. I just want to see the show, and I want for you to either stop bothering Angie and me about acting or actually help us for once. Remember, it's not that hard for me to…spin you a tail," Gardenia winked, pulling silk from her fingers and drawing a design on the counter.

"Fine, I'll put you dead-center," Riddler said with a low growl in his voice. "I'll leave you and Angie alone, but you should know one thing about Gotham High's theatre department: It's a dog-eat-dog world."

"They all are. You just have to learn how to play the game," Gardenia smirked, grabbing her ticket and eying the show time. "See you at six."

Gardenia left the building and walked a few blocks to Angie's apartment. They practiced their monologues and critiqued each other's work before getting ready for the play. Gardenia never mentioned Riddler or their deal, namely because she didn't expect it to ever come true.


	5. Chapter 5

_Chapter Five_

Catwoman eyed the bag of Batman's clothes as she prepared to go to school. After her failed attempt to search the city for him, she knew her best bet would be to return the clothes during their first class. But she also knew Joker was a threat to that mission because of his upcoming tricks. She didn't know what his threat meant, but she knew he was persuasive from the stories that floated around her middle school. When Joker wanted something done, it got done somehow, and every delay made the favor more and more dangerous.

As she began her walk, she immediately felt like she was being watched. Instead of taking the sidewalk, she decided to try rooftops. It was a hobby of hers that she'd had for many years now, but she namely did it in summer when she had time to kill, or on her way home if she wanted to stall. She'd never gone to school that way, but her change of plans immediately paid off. She didn't feel that feeling anymore of being watched intently. Instead, she felt the mood of the city shift: Someone was very, very upset.

A block from the school, Catwoman vaulted to the ground, landing perfectly and brushing herself off. Up ahead, Batman and Robin were laughing with friends as they entered the school. Catwoman tried to walk faster to keep up with him, but someone jumped in her way.

"I think I know what you're afraid of, Cat," he growled, spraying her with water. Catwoman drew her hand, slapping the older teen across the face, leaving distinct scratch marks. "Why, you little b—"

"Language, language, language," Bane chirped, slapping the boy's back with heavy, dull thuds. "Catwoman, this is our buddy, Scarecrow. I think you've met before, but it seems he forgot the one rule about cats—"

"They're dangerous," Joker cackled, stepping forward. "Yes, yes, you are a dangerous beast, little Catwoman, but we will find your weakness. Batman is going to audition this afternoon, and I don't mind playing with you all day to get my point across: You will sabotage that audition."

"Why don't you just-?" Catwoman began, but Joker cut her off, "You need to learn how I work, and I don't simply 'do better' than him. Batman is attractive; all the girls love him, the drama teacher's assistant included. So many people have decided it's best to not even try, either because of theatre drama or because sexy little Batman is trying out for the part. Guys like me don't win roles, Catwoman, at least not the roles we crave."

Catwoman shook off the water droplets still sticking to her hair, "Well, I don't see how I can help you. But, I'll go to the audition and see for myself if Batman is even good at what he does. He's probably not that good. You're just worried about something stupid as always."

"You don't know him very well, do you?" Bane chuckled. Scarecrow hissed at him, "You can never get to know Joker fully."

"Oh stop your whining! You sprayed a cat with water! What do you expect the outcome to be?" Joker roared, his growl breaking into laughter, "She did exactly what I wanted to do! Look at his face! It's like bacon before it's been cut!" he cackled as the first bell rang. Instinctively, the group ran inside. Everyone took their seats in class, except Bane, and the day's lesson began…before Catwoman could return Batman's precious clothes.

Gardenia was munching on a salad with Angie when the Riddler joined them, chomping a bite out of the greasy cafeteria pizza. Angie grimaced and started to gather her things, "Come on, we're trying to enjoy lunch. What do you even want anyway?"

"Did you enjoy the play last night?" Riddler asked with a soft smile, but Angie was immediately defensive, "How did you even know we went to that? Are you some kind of stalker or something?"

Gardenia laughed, "No, he works at the theatre. I thought I told you that he sold me our tickets," she said, but Angie shook her head. "Well, he sold me the tickets that afternoon, and we had a little talk about Gotham High's theatre department. He thinks it's different than the others because of how vicious it is," Gardenia grinned. Angie put down her papers and started laughing heavily.

"It's really not funny," Riddler whispered softly, leaning forward, "There are some dangerous figures in the department, people who don't mind causing a few accidents to get better roles, if you catch my drift."

"That happens _everywhere_," Angie said slowly and nodding firmly as if she were speaking to a child, "So a few people here have powers? So what? This school's theatre department is no different than any other."

"Are you sure?" a deep voice asked. Angie looked up to see Batman, and she immediately blushed crimson with desire. "Forgive me for barging into your conversation, but Riddler, you seem pretty concerned about the theatre department. What exactly happens to people, say, auditioning for a part?"

"The more popular you are, the more you should watch your back. Riddle me this, though, Batman: Where does a Batman rank in such a system?" Riddler asked. Batman shrugged gently. "Well, you're right up top. The whole school knows you as some…perfect nonexistent being or something. My point is, you should watch yourself. Practice your self-defense as you practice your monologue, and never, ever turn your back on these people or they'll eat you alive," Riddler said sternly, standing up suddenly and leaving the table.

"Girls, do you think I should audition for the play?" Batman asked. Gardenia couldn't help but laugh gently, "He's been trying to get us to stay away since school started. He still hasn't told us what he's so concerned about, and honestly, I think it's a ploy to keep certain people from even trying out. You should watch yourself, but…I think you'll be fine," Gardenia smiled. Batman nodded, returning to his table.

"God, isn't he just the dreamiest hunk of man you've ever seen?" Angie moaned, throwing upper body onto the table. As she did, Catwoman walked behind her, her strong hearing picking up every word. For some reason, Angie's desire for Batman caused a little pang to run through her. Did she _like_ Batman?

"E-Excuse me," Catwoman stammered, walking up to Batman with his bag of clothes. For some reason her cheeks turned crimson as he turned, his detergent's scent filling the atmosphere, "You let me borrow these," Catwoman managed to choke out. "I w-w-washed them," she stammered, immediately beating herself up inside as he took the bag.

"You don't have to be so nervous, Cat. I'm glad these were of use to you, and I didn't get a bad grade in gym class either. See, it all worked out for the better," Batman smirked. Catwoman nodded, slinking off to an empty table in the darkest corner of the cafeteria. Her heart was pounding and she had no idea why. She'd never felt this way before, and she honestly had no idea what it could be.


	6. Chapter 6

_Chapter Six_

"You'll be lined up backstage by Mallory," the director yelled into the auditorium's speaker system.

Angie and Gardenia were at the back of the line along with Batman and a few other freshmen. This made the girls nervous as the boisterous director pranced around the stage, looking the prospects over, "You'll say your name, your grade, and the title of any non-original piece before you begin. Then turn around, face me, and work your magic. Then get off the stage, get out of this auditorium, and if one person so much as _thinks_ of calling me about their part before Friday, none of you will be chosen!" the director demanded.

Angie and Gardenia gulped, but no one else seemed to move, at least until the signal was given. Then they were re-lead into the backstage area by Mallory, who double-checked the list before giving the thumbs up signal. The first person to go, a senior, stepped out onstage. He said his name, his grade, and the title of his monologue before spinning around dramatically and launching himself into the part.

High above the auditorium, Catwoman had positioned herself on the nearest catwalk to the stage. Cords and wires were looped neatly on various bars, but Catwoman wasn't there to admire the handy work of the crewmen. She looked down on the group, her eyes peeled for anyone Joker might see as too much competition, especially Batman.

As she thought of his name, her heart raced. Ever since that moment in the lunchroom when that girl said his name in a lustful manner, Catwoman felt her heart pound at the thought of Batman or at the smell of anything as beautiful as his detergent. She had no idea what was the matter with her because the pounding almost made her dizzy and sick all at the same time.

"Next!" the director screamed. The next person in line, a nervous junior, took the stage, messing up the director's system by immediately launching into his monologue. Catwoman could tell from her perch that this guy wasn't very good. By the looks of things, as long as Joker came out, followed procedure, and didn't make an arse of himself, he could get any part he wanted.

In line, Angie and Gardenia were getting even more nervous the closer they inched towards the stage. The line was shorter than they thought, and as each person went, they realized it was growing shorter and shorter.

"G? What if I forget the lines?" Angie whispered in Gardenia's ear. Gardenia smiled lightly, "I doubt you will, but I might," she laughed. "We'll be fine. We've been practicing for weeks," she said, moving up in the line with Angie.

They could now see deep into the dark auditorium from their position. Only two people stood between Angie and the stage, and the two girls were almost shaking with nervousness as they looked out into the crowd. Angie immediately decided to focus on the floor instead, still painted from a colorful production the school year before. But Gardenia wanted to focus on something high above—

"Angie, there's a girl up there!" Gardenia hissed, pointing upwards as the next person moved up in line. The girls shifted, as did Batman at the end of the line. There was only one person between him and Gardenia, meaning he could now see into the audience as well, and his eyes immediately found Catwoman high above the auditorium.

"Who is that?" Angie asked. Batman stepped forward slightly, "That's Catwoman, but why is she up there?"

"Next, next, next!" the director bellowed. "What's the hold up?"

"There's a girl on the catwalk!" Mallory called, stepping deep backstage. Angie blushed as she stepped onstage. The director noticed her nervousness and sighed heavily, "Wait until we get this madwoman down."

The director was the only person Catwoman could hear, and she instantly knew she'd been discovered. She wanted to escape before anyone noticed, but the well-trained Mallory was coming too fast. Catwoman's only hope was to jump down into the audience, a very long jump, and hopefully land in darkness.

Mallory was approaching faster and faster, so without hesitation…Catwoman jumped.

Gardenia and Angie screamed in unison.

Batman acted, throwing a Batarang to one of the neatly wrapped ropes. It fell into his hands, and he grabbed it, using it to swing upwards. He grabbed Catwoman by the waist and held on tightly as the rope swung them back over the stage. He let go, landing gracefully as the director stormed the stage.

"And who do you think you are?" the director asked sternly. Catwoman was too shaken up to respond. Not only had her jump attempt failed, but Batman had wrapped his strong arms around her waist. She had no idea what to say.

"She's scared," Gardenia noted. The director scoffed, "Well so am I. Just because you _can_ climb, young lady, doesn't mean you _should_. I think Principal Gordon needs to hear about this right this second."

"I saw everything," a voice called from the back of the auditorium. A man stood, appearing as a shadow until he stepped closer to the stage. "What you did was an extremely dangerous stunt, but if you notice, your stage manager was chasing her from above," Principal Gordon noted, pointing upwards as he stepped under a light. Sure enough, Mallory was still standing nervously on the catwalk.

"What should we do about this then, Principal Gordon? Keep in mind I recommend the strongest punishment," the director smiled darkly.

Principal Gordon smirked, "That won't be necessary. Catwoman, is it?" Principal Gordon asked. Catwoman nodded meekly. "Well, I have a better idea. I don't know your motives for being in such a dangerous position, but you need to learn more about theatre to fully understand your actions. Director, I want her to be a part of your crew for this upcoming play."

"She a danger to this establishment!" the director exclaimed dramatically. Catwoman nodded in agreement, "Please, I want no part of this. I was just—"

"Scoping out the competition?" Principal Gordon asked. Catwoman nodded slightly, even though that wasn't the whole truth. "Well, now you can see how theatre works first-hand without having to do such dangerous stunts. Does anyone else wish to protest my decision?"

"I do," a dark voice said from backstage. Everyone turned as a girl with black and red hair emerged from behind the curtains. Her black boots came up to her knees, her red miniskirt ending just above. Her shirt and vest were black and filled with various tools, and her angry face was stained with paint.

"Chrys, it wouldn't be—"

"I think it is up to me, Director," Chrys said firmly. "She's a danger to my team if she's already doing what she shouldn't. And don't give me the whole 'she didn't know any better' argument. I've heard that hundreds of time before and my response hasn't changed: Who cares?"

"Well, Chrys, we've had this discussion before. We can't be fully responsible for everyone's actions, and I would never hold you accountable for Catwoman's actions. But she needs to learn what she did wrong, and I feel you are the best person for the job," Principal Gordon smiled.

"Why thank you," Chrys said sarcastically, rolling her eyes and leaning heavily on her left side. "What if we refuse? Are you going to give her detention? Suspend her, maybe?"

"None of that," the director said, eying her watch. "I have auditions to finish. She works with you, Chrys, end of discussion. You, you're next!" the director snapped, pointing to Angie.

The very nervous Angie remained onstage as everyone else disbursed. Catwoman, Principal Gordon, Chrys, and Mallory sat in the audience, with Chrys sitting further back so she'd be in darkness. Gardenia, Batman, and the other freshman auditioning got back in line backstage, leaving Angie alone.

"Um…Angie Black, ninth grade, um…. I forgot the words! Oh my gosh, I forgot the words!" Angie cried dramatically. She turned to look at Gardenia for support, but she gestured for her to continue. Angie embraced the moment, pleaded for the words to come. The real words never came to her, but her on-the-spot original monologue was very nice. She left the stage, waiting on an outside sidewalk for Gardenia.

Gardenia remembered her words despite the strange events. She was soon outside walking home with Angie, a weight off their shoulders even though the cast wouldn't be announced until Friday.

Inside the auditorium, the last people went. Batman was last, and Catwoman immediately knew why: He was monotone, barely moving past a rugged whisper. Catwoman would've laughed at him if it weren't for the pounding in her chest. She loved it, in reality, but he wasn't right for theatre. Joker had nothing to worry about there.

But Catwoman had plenty to worry about. The dark Chrys argued with Principal Gordon and the director, but it was no use. Catwoman would be a crewperson for the upcoming play, specifically a part of the light design crew that worked the catwalk. She would learn why her stunt was dangerous, and who in Gotham High was especially dangerous.


	7. Chapter 7

_Chapter Seven_

The next morning, Gardenia and Angie met early so Angie's mother could cook them a special breakfast. The girls thought they'd have a happy morning after their first high school audition, but both were slightly upset about the intruder, namely Angie.

"Why was she even up there? She didn't bother telling anyone, and it's just…it's disgusting!" Angie spat. Her mother sighed, shaking her head firmly, "Everyone has motivations, remember? Even in real-life, people are always motivated when they do what they do. For example, I'm motivated to make my baby girl and her best friend feel better as I make this delicious breakfast."

"She has a valid point, Angie," Gardenia nodded, sipping fresh orange juice. "I think she has a reason but she couldn't reveal it in front of everyone. Hey, what if she wanted to audition but was afraid of the competition? Riddler was all over school probably scaring people away."

"Probably from that girl Chrys," Angie shuddered. "I could see her rig up a light to fall on someone or trigger a trap door at the wrong time, well the right time for her, but you get my point. She just _looks_ dangerous."

"So do a lot of our classmates. If only some of them knew what I could do," Gardenia grinned, wrapping her glass with web in mere seconds. Angie's mom sighed heavily, "I've told you not to do that here, G."

"Sorry," Gardenia blushed, gently peeling the web from the glass, "And that's just part of what I can do. I mean, if I wanted to, I could use my fangs to kill my fellow classmates. I wonder what they would say about that."

"You'd never kill," Angie scoffed. Gardenia grinned playfully, "But I have the option. That's the important part."

"Well I think you're both making too big a deal out of this. You're letting your nerves get the best of you. You auditioned for important roles, yes, but diversions happen. I say you should get to know this girl. You might need to help her with something," Angie's mother suggested. Angie groaned loudly; this wasn't the first time her mother suggested being friends with so-called enemies.

Gardenia was intrigued with the idea. What if they did become friends with the people they thought were their enemies? Would it really be so awful? Gardenia would have to think about it, but she felt Angie's mom was right this time, even if she hadn't been before.

A few minutes into Catwoman's walk to school, she heard strange sounds from behind her. She looked back to see Bane and Joker, who was laughing heavily at their prank. They ran up to her, flanking her on both sides. Catwoman continued walking, not letting them bother her.

"I thought we'd get a reaction, Bane. Well, Scarecrow said we would," Joker laughed. "He has a friend who knows some things about you. I hear you made a crash-landing at the audition last night, or tried to."

"You know cats don't always land on their feet, right?" Bane asked darkly.

"But Batman was there to save her," Joker cackled, his breath coming out like hisses from a balloon. "Tell us what happened, please! The anticipation is killing me!"

"I was spotted and chased off the catwalk. Batman saved me, but you have nothing to worry about. He was nothing like the other actors. He has no chance against them," Catwoman said softly, the words hurting her as Joker began to laugh even harder at the news.

"He's a shitty actor! I love it!" Joker screamed, grabbing onto a light pole for support. Bane helped grab him, carrying his friend across the street towards Gotham High.

"No one knows why I was up there, and I plan to keep it that way," Catwoman said, stopping and facing them sternly. "Is it our secret or are you going to throw me under the bus again?"

"It's our little secret, Cat," Joker said, walking to the school with Bane and leaving her behind.

As Catwoman stepped into the school, she immediately noticed stares. Some were sympathetic, namely from Batman and Robin's friend group. But others were sinister, and Catwoman immediately noticed Chrys's black and red hair among the crowd. She was standing with Scarecrow, a scowl on her face. Catwoman knew she now had an enemy, all because of Joker and his stupid antics.

But she also had something else when it came to Batman. She dreamed of him the previous night almost constantly, her mind going back to the moment when he wrapped his strong arms around her and flew her to safety. Her heart pounded at the memory, her cheeks glowing red. She also realized what was wrong with her: She had a crush…on Batman.


End file.
